Tuanz calls for bipartisan technology strategy

In this edition:

• User group's election year pitch
• Chorus agrees to longer regulatory period
• 5G subscriber numbers pass 3 billion

Long-term planning would lift New Zealand

Tuanz, the tech users association, says New Zealand needs a clear, long-term technology strategy ‘that endures beyond electoral cycles’. A statement from the group says this is needed to lift the nation back into the top tier of digital economies.

As New Zealand heads towards a year-end election, Craig Young, Tuanz chief executive, called on political leaders to take a bipartisan approach. He says: “Technology can make New Zealand a better place: growing our economy, strengthening our communities and improving everyday life.”

Young says the basic components are in place: “We have strong foundations, from world-class connectivity to a more renewable energy system”.

The key issue is not capability, but consistency. “Investment in technology and digital transformation doesn't operate on three-year political cycles, and neither should our national approach. Without long-term certainty, we risk underinvesting and falling behind.”

Tuanz plans to release a series of policy papers, weekly over the next five weeks. They will cover education and digital skills, trust and online safety, transparent data use, responsible generative AI and improving digital inclusion and access.

Analysis: Moving beyond political cycles

This is not a new complaint and it certainly is not restricted to the technology sector.

Most notably New Zealand’s broader infrastructure sector has been deeply frustrated and held back by a lack of bipartisanship for many years now. A recent report commissioned by Civil Contractors New Zealand, Infrastructure New Zealand and Water New Zealand found pausing, cancelling and delaying infrastructure projects has cost New Zealand an estimated $11.8 billion in the last 25 years.

The irony here is that the most recent major technology infrastructure project, the UFB fibre network, enjoyed bipartisan support and was a resounding success. Yes, there were arguments over details, especially concerning the amount Chorus was allowed to charge for copper connections. Yet having those concepts tested in a public debate was healthy and never looked like derailing the project.

It is the reason New Zealand has the world-class connectivity that Young mentions. It shows the power of taking policy out of political cycles.

Tuanz doesn’t say so, but it is effectively arguing that digital policy now needs the same treatment. This extends well beyond infrastructure into skills, regulation and emerging technologies such as AI.

At this stage, however, it is unclear how far apart the main parties are on those issues, or whether the bigger constraints sit within coalition dynamics rather than across the political divide.

Chorus backs five-year fibre regulatory period

Chorus backs the Commerce Commission’s proposal to extend its next fibre price-quality regulatory period from four years to five.

In a submission on the draft decision, the company says the longer period reflects the maturity of the fibre regulatory regime and improvements in its asset management. It also argues that existing regulatory mechanisms are sufficient to manage the risks of forecasting errors over a longer timeframe.

The submission echoes many of the points in the Commission’s draft decision. It says a five-year cycle would reduce regulatory costs, strengthen incentives to improve efficiency and give greater certainty for investment planning.

Chorus also supports the Commission’s decision to confirm the length of the next regulatory period well ahead of time, saying the certainty will help it prepare its expenditure proposal.

As reported last week, the Commission proposes that Chorus’ third price-quality path run from January 1, 2029 to December 31, 2033, bringing fibre regulation into line with the regulatory periods used for electricity and gas networks.

Chorus files 2025 fibre regulatory disclosure

Chorus says its regulated fibre asset base increased to about $6 billion in 2025 from $5.9 billion a year earlier. The company says it under-earned its maximum allowable revenue by $101 million during the year, resulting in a $76.3 million wash-up balance that will carry into the next regulatory period, subject to Commerce Commission review.

In other news...

• Flaw left FIFA World Cup match streams wide-open — IT News
  An access control misconfiguration at a FIFA website exposed live broadcast stream keys.
• Older people face technostress — The Conversation
  Despite greater digital familiarity, there is a fear of being left behind.
• YouTube overtakes Netflix in average daily viewing around the world — The Guardian
  Alphabet’s service now moving into traditional television areas.

WaveSquared extends network into New Zealand

Australia’s WaveSquared is working with EonFibre to extend its wholesale optical network into New Zealand. The business provides dedicated fibre circuits and high-capacity optical connections to carriers, cloud providers, data centre operators and large enterprises.

EonFibre is One New Zealand’s wholesale infrastructure business. It has access to the Tasman Global Access (TGA) submarine cable to connect WaveSquared to New Zealand.

WaveSquared says it plans to establish a carrier-neutral point of presence in Auckland’s Data Vault Data Centre. From here it will offer onward connectivity to facilities across New Zealand.

Worldwide 5G subscriber numbers pass three billion

Ericsson’s latest Mobility Report says in the first quarter of 2026 there were 3.1 billion 5G subscriptions worldwide. That is fewer than the 4.5 billion IoT connections recorded at the end of 2025. Half of all global mobile data traffic is now carried over 5G.

The report also says satellite broadband subscriptions are forecast to increase from roughly 10 million at the end of 2025 to 33 million by the end of 2031.

Powertec mobile signal booster approved for Spark network

Australia-based Powertec is selling a Spark-approved mobile signal booster that improves existing coverage in weak-signal locations like vehicles and small buildings. The CEL-FI ROAM R41-VB amplifies the Spark mobile signal, improving indoor and in-vehicle coverage in weak-signal areas.

This time last year One NZ launched Satellite IoT

One New Zealand introducing its Satellite IoT service extending coverage into areas beyond Earth-based networks.

The company’s chief enterprise director Mike Purchase:

“We now offer coverage for IoT devices across all of New Zealand, including the 40 percent that doesn’t have traditional cell tower coverage”.

Five years ago, Orcon signed its first 8 Gbps fibre customer
The plan cost $200 a month for a connection using Chorus’s 8 Gbps symmetric Hyperfibre service.

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